North America Distribution

Facts About

Black henbane, a widespread weedy species in the deadly nightshade family (Solanaceae), gets a bad rap throughout much of its North American range. Its genus name derives from the words for "hog" and "bean," referring to the high toxicity of the seeds to swine. The common name probably indicates it is harmful to chickens, too. The seeds contain the poisons atropene, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine. The cuplike fruits, with filagreed edges, are distinctive.

Clonal plantlets

Flowers

there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

Carpels fused

the carpels are fused to one another

Cleistogamous flowers

there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

Corolla palate

no

Corona lobe length

0 mm

Epicalyx

the flower does not have an epicalyx

Epicalyx number of parts

0

Flower description

the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

Flower petal color

green to brown

yellow

Flower symmetry

there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

Flowers sunken into stem

no

Form of style

the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched

Fused stamen clusters

NA

Fusion of sepals and petals

the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube

Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

NA

Hypanthium

the flower does not have a hypanthium

Inner tepals (Rumex)

NA

Nectar spur

the flower has no nectar spurs

Number of pistils

1

Number of sepals, petals or tepals

there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

Number of styles

1

Ovary position

the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

Petal and sepal arrangement

the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

Petal and sepal colors

green to brown

yellow

Petal appearance

the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

Petal hairs (Viola)

NA

Petal number

5

Petal tips (Cuscuta)

NA

Scales inside corolla

no

Sepal and petal color

the sepals are different from the petals

Sepal appendages

the sepals do not have appendages on them

Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

NA

Sepal number

anything

Stamen attachment

the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals

Stamen number

5

Stamen position relative to petals

the stamens are lined up with the sepals

Staminodes

there are no staminodes on the flower

Umbel flower reproductive parts

NA

Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

NA

Fruits or seeds

Achene relative orientation

NA

Achene shape

NA

Achene surface (Polygonum)

NA

Achene type

NA

Berry color

NA

Capsule color (Viola)

NA

Capsule splitting

NA

Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

the pyxis splits above the middle

Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

NA

Fruit length

1–1.5 mm

Fruit locules

two

Fruit type (general)

the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe

Fruit type (specific)

the fruit is a pyxis (when dry it splits around the middle, and the top falls off, exposing the seeds)

Legumes (Fabaceae)

NA

Mericarp length

0 mm

Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

NA

Other markings on berry

NA

Ovary stipe

the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

Placenta arrangement

the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves

Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

NA

Schizocarpic fruit compression

NA

Schizocarpic fruit segments

0

Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

NA

Wings on fruit

the fruit does not have wings on it

prickles on fruits

the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

Glands or sap

Glands on leaf blade

the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

Sap

the sap is clear and watery

Sap color

the sap is clear

Growth form

Lifespan

the plant lives for two years

the plant lives only a single year or less

Parasitism

the plant is not parasitic

Plant color

the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

Spines on plant

the plant has no spines

Leaves

Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

0

Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

NA

Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

0

Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

anything

Hairs on underside of leaf

the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

Leaf arrangement

alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem

Leaf blade base

the leaf has no stalk

Leaf blade base shape

the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

Leaf blade edges

the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes

the edge of the leaf blade has teeth

Leaf blade length

50–200 mm

Leaf blade shape

the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)

the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

Leaf blade surface colors

the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

Leaf duration

the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

Leaf form

the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

Leaf spines

there are no spines on the leaf edges

Leaf type

the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Leaf types

There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

Leaflet number

0

Leaflet petiolules

NA

Leaves per node

there is one leaf per node along the stem

Pinnately compound leaf type

NA

Specific leaf type

the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Stipels

NA

Stipule features

NA

Stipules

there are no stipules on the plant

Place

Habitat

terrestrial

New England state

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

Vermont

Specific habitat

man-made or disturbed habitats

sea beaches

Stem, shoot, branch

Branched tendrils

NA

Hair between stem nodes

the stem has hairs between the nodes

Leaves on stem

there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

Plant height

Up to 100 cm

Tendril origin

NA

Tendrils

the plant does not have tendrils

Wetland Status

Not classified

New England Distribution and Conservation Status

Distribution

Connecticut

present

Maine

present

Massachusetts

present

New Hampshire

present

Rhode Island

absent

Vermont

present

Conservation Status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to
state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts

not applicable
(S-rank: SNA)

Native to North America?

No

Sometimes Confused With

androecium with 4, didynamous stamens and corolla lobes conspicuously emarginate at the apex (vs. H. niger, with the androecium with 5 stamens that are not paired and corolla lobes that are truncate to rounded at the apex).